


And the Rest of the World Falls Away

by Tragicplaywright



Series: Celestial Navigation [3]
Category: Midnighter (Comics), Midnighter and Apollo (Comics)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Romantic Fluff, basically just fluff, because apparently I have to fix all of dc's mistakes, n52 Midnighter and Apollo finally getting married, there's really not much else to say
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 01:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17971562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tragicplaywright/pseuds/Tragicplaywright
Summary: “Socialisation with kids her age would be good,” Midnighter agrees, “but there’s the small problem that she doesn’t exist in the eyes of the law. And if she did, then she’d have to be appointed legal guardians.”“Which would be us,” Andrew asserts.“Obviously,” Midnighter hedges, “But if we wanted joint custody…”Andrew laughs as he realises what M has been so hesitant to say. “We’d have to get married. I don’t see how that’s a downside.”





	And the Rest of the World Falls Away

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to CrocInCrocs for the suggestion, I hope you like it.

Andrew shakes the bottle, encouraging the last few drops of olive oil out of the neck and onto the measuring spoon below. It’s just under the two tablespoons he usually uses, and he considers whether or not he should go get more. He could send Midnighter if he wanted but it’s not really enough to warrant an emergency shopping trip and the whining that would follow.

Or maybe it would be, he muses as Midnighter throws aside his third ruined egg. He’s been trying to separate the yolk from the whites for nearly ten minutes now and Andrew needs to add it the rest so he can get a start on mixing. He snatches up the last egg in the carton before Midnighter can get his hands on it.

“How about you help Stella with the rest of the potatoes instead,” he says in response to M’s disgruntled noise of protest.

Stellanova looks up from where she’s been studiously peeling at the sound of her name. She holds out the potato for them to inspect. Her face lights up as Midnighter compliments her work, moving to sit beside her at the table. Andrew smiles as he watches M make a nuisance of himself, picking up a peel from Stella’s neat pile and tossing it at her.

She blinks in surprise, looking between him and the peel now in her lap. Midnighter throws another and she catches it, turning it around in her hands. Evidently coming to a conclusion, she slings it back, hitting M between the eyes. Andrew nearly crushes the egg in his hand as he doubles over laughing at Midnighter’s expression.

“Alright, alright that’s enough,” he chokes out as Midnighter picks up a handful of peels in retaliation. “Any mess you make, you have to clean up.”

Stellanova’s nose scrunches in an expression just shy of smug as Midnighter puts the peels back down, muttering objections under his breath.

Andrew’s smile fades as they go from peeling to chopping. If she were any other eleven-year-old he would be taking the knife away, or at least hovering over her nervously in case she accidently cut herself. But thanks to Cerberus, Stellanova has had plenty of practice around knives. So instead he forces himself to turn away and deal with the egg.

He’s just finished stirring the wet ingredients into the flour when Stellanova appear at his side holding a potato covered chopping board. “Those ready to cook?” he asks her.

She nods seriously.

“Alright that’s everything for now. Come back in fifteen minutes and we will mash the potatoes.” As much as he hates it, they’ve discovered another “gift” from Cerberus is that everything needs to be a command, Stellanova doesn’t know what to do with a suggestion or choice and phrasing anything that way agitates her.

“Tiger wants her to come in for one last hypnos session next week,” he tells Midnighter as she disappears down the hall, “Just to make sure that there’s no dormant programming.”

Midnighter picks up what he leaves unspoken. “Even when that’s gone, she’s still going to be left with all the memories of abuse and trauma. Remember how I was when we first met?”

Andrew does. He may have had memories of a life to fall back on but Midnighter hadn’t known how to be anything other than what Bendix and the Gardner had made him. Knowing what he does now, the way that Midnighter had clung to the Gardner even after what she had done to him makes much more sense. It’s uncomfortably close to the way that Stellanova latched onto and trusted them almost immediately, as the first people in her life to ever show her any human decency and kindness.

“We should teach her to read and write,” he says abruptly, “Basic maths and stuff. Then she can go to school and make friends.”

He’s certain it won’t take her long to catch up with kids her age. Not only is she able to pick up on new skills quickly, she has an eidetic memory, something that Tiger tells them is a product of her psychic abilities. They’re still trying to figure out what those abilities are, so far they’ve managed to establish that she can essentially “turn off” her capacity to feel pain, as well as her emotions, and vividly recall any memory in detail. It’s hard though, because often Stellanova doesn’t understand that what she can do isn’t normal. That and she’s still getting used to being allowed to speak, mostly sticking to non-verbal communication.

“Socialisation with kids her age would be good,” Midnighter agrees, “but there’s the small problem that she doesn’t exist in the eyes of the law. And if she did, then she’d have to be appointed legal guardians.”

“Which would be us,” Andrew asserts.

“Obviously,” Midnighter hedges, “But if we wanted joint custody…”

Andrew laughs as he realises what M has been so hesitant to say. “We’d have to get married. I don’t see how that’s a downside.”

“Yeah?” he sounds warily hopeful, “I mean, it’s a big step.”

Andrew stops stirring the potatoes, turning to give Midnighter his full attention. “Not a bad one though. I mean we already live together, fight together, basically already have a kid together, marriage would just be making it official.”

Midnighter smiles, big and blinding. “You really want to? I mean I know I can be, well difficult. I’m trying, really trying and the computer, I’ve got it under control for the most part but there’s only so much I can do.” He pushes on as Andrew opens his mouth to respond, “That’s not to mean I don’t want to, there’s nothing else, no-one else I would rather marry. I just want you to know what you’re getting into, I’m not going to change, and you just need to be sure that’s not going to be a problem. I’ve already broke this once and I don’t want to do that again because we’re rushing things or pretending to be something we’re not or-”

Andrew shuts him up with a hand on the back of his neck, pulling him close. “I’m sure about this, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. I want _you_. Exactly how you are, no secrets, no hiding the ugly. I accept all of it, I _love_ all of it, all of you.”

Midnighter nods. “Okay, okay.” He nods again, eyes fixed somewhere into the distance. Andrew lets him process. He knows how the computer can get about things like this, possible actions with millions of variants, how them getting married will change how he reacts in the future. Like plugging new data into a simulation.

So instead of saying anything he takes Mid’s hand in his own, a solid anchor. He rubs his thumb along the back of his knuckles, feeling the scarring there that even Midnighter’s accelerated healing can’t prevent. It takes a while but Midnighter blinks himself back into the present, squeezing Andrew’s hand in acknowledgment.

And just like that fifteen minutes are over and Stellanova’s at his side again, brandishing the masher. “Potatoes.”

***

Midnighter smooths down the lapels of his jacket, considering his tie in the mirror. Maybe he should go with a bow-tie instead or scrap it all together, is it too fancy? He tugs at it with a sigh, fiddling with the knot until he just tears the thing off, throwing it to the side. No tie it is then. The computer likes that better, nothing for anyone to grab onto or choke him with. Not that he plans on fighting.

Should he shave? No Andrew’s always liked him with a bit of stubble. He runs a gelled hand through his hair, just enough to hold it slicked back in place. He tilts his head in the mirror, everything looks fine.

More deodorant, he decides. But not too much or it’ll irritate Andrew’s enhanced nose.

The doorbell rings.

He hears Andrew answer it, greeting Marina. She’s two minutes early. As they exchange trivial pleasantries, he checks his shirt for any wrinkles. He’s got this. He looks great, as always.

Midnighter bumps into Stellanova as he exits the room, backpack slung over her shoulder. She smiles up at him as he instinctively steadies her with one hand. His computer admonishes him, that shouldn’t have happened, he should’ve been more aware of his surroundings. It’s angry he’s off his game, but he’s too nervous to care.

“There she is,” Marina says as she catches sight of them. “Ready for an awesome night with your favourite aunt?”

“You’re her only aunt,” Andrew says, but it’s fond as he watches the two of them clasp hands in a gesture that Stellanova uses in place of a hug.

Andrew looks spectacular. He’s left the top couple buttons on his shirt unbuttoned, just enough for Midnighter to get a glimpse of the v of his neck and a part of him wants to abandon all his plans and drag him off to their bedroom the moment the girls leave. It would be easier, familiar but if Midnighter’s one thing, it’s not a coward, no matter how heavy his pocket feels.

“You clean up decent.” Marina’s voice drags him away from his thoughts, snapping his attention back to her.

The computer rears up, angry at him for being distracted, flaring up scenario after scenario. He pushes it down and spreads his arms wide. “I always look this amazing.” Marina snorts.

“He does,” Andrew agrees, “But he looks even better tonight.” He smiles and Midnighter reassesses the bedroom idea.

Marina reaches out to cover Stellanova’s ears. “Save it for the date, Fabio, there’s young ears in the room.”

Andrew splutters out a protest of how he’d never say anything inappropriate while Stella’s around but Midnighter just smirks at her. “Why do you think we’re getting you to babysit?” The computer blares a warning as she punches him on the arm. Stella uses the opportunity to move away from her hands, shaking her head slightly as if to remove the phantom feeling remaining.

They’ve been working on touch with her, but it seems that other than situations where she’s in a lot of emotional distress, she prefers not to be touched for long. He’s not sure how much of the inclination against touch is from her time with Cerberus and how much of it is just her.

Andrew hovers over Stella, unzipping her backpack and rummaging inside. “Have you got everything? Toothbrush and toothpaste? Pyjamas? Spare socks?” Stellanova nods, rocking lightly on her feet as his ministrations tug her backwards. Marina pushes him away with one hand, re-zipping the bag with another.

“Calm down mother hen. We’re going to be fine.” She rests a hand on Stellanova’s shoulder, over the bag strap. “Right kiddo?”

Stella deliberates on this for a moment, shrugging the hand away. “Ice-cream?”

“Yup, as much of it as we can eat.”

Andrew looks pained. “Marina-”

“Don’t worry, we’ll eat healthy stuff first.” She shakes her head at Stella as he looks away and she giggles.

Midnighter leads them over to the door. “Alright, alright, we’re going to be late for our reservation.” He lowers himself to Stellanova’s height. “Have fun. Remember to call us if _anything_ goes wrong.” Stella nods seriously. They gave her a phone after the last time, not wanting a repeat, and she knows to use it if she needs.

“We’ll be fine,” Marina says again, sincere and reassuring this time. He rises to his feet with a nod. Andrew moves to his side, a comforting presence.

“Good luck with the date.” Marina winks. Midnighter’s chest tightens with excitement and nerves at the reminder of his task for the evening. He glares at her but there’s no real heat behind it.

And with a round of ‘goodnights’, he and Andrew are left alone by the door.

Unable to stop himself, Midnighter calls out after them. “Her bed time’s at nine.”

Marina groans ‘not you too’, waving a hand but not turning around. Stella presses the down button for the elevator. Andrew gently closes the door on the sight of the two of them stepping inside.

“And then there were two,” he says.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from 'Only Us' (Dear Evan Hansen)


End file.
